Tobacco CHQ (part 2)

A Data Visualization

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Prepared by:

C. Reducing tobacco use

What’s being done, and what’s being planned, to continue addressing tobacco use in Chautauqua County?

The challenges, and the opportunities, are both real.

Challenge/Opportunity 1:
Access

How many licensed retailers of tobacco and vaping products are there in Chautauqua County?

A lot.

Around 101 licensed tobacco outlets and 51 licensed vaping shops.

(The exact numbers fluctuate slightly as licenses are revoked or not renewed and/or new licenses are granted.)

While these sellers are located throughout the county, more tend to be located in poorer areas.

For example, the overall density (stores/population) of tobacco outlets in the county’s census blocks with poverty rates over 20% is 2.5 times higher than in census blocks with poverty rates less than 20%.

New York State requires all retailers of cigarettes and other tobacco products to obtain a license from the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance.

A separate license is required to sell vaping products.

Access to tobacco products, especially by underage youth, can be reduced through the adoption of a local tobacco retailer license ordinance in addition to the state-required licenses.

Introducing local oversight and control of tobacco and vaping products could:

Increase enforcement of laws regarding the sale of banned products (often kept “behind the counter.”)

Over time, limit the number of licensed shops in the county.

Increase penalities for the sale of tobacco products to minors.

Place limits on the location and density of tobacco outlets, such as restrictions against shops near schools.

What has research shown?

“The existing evidence supports a positive association between tobacco retail outlet density and smoking behaviours among youth, particularly for the density near youths’ home.”

Marsh, L., Vaneckova, P., Robertson, L., Johnson, T. O., Doscher, C., Raskind, I. G., Schleicher, N. C., & Henriksen, L. (2021). Association between density and proximity of tobacco retail outlets with smoking: A systematic review of youth studies. Health & place, 67, 102275.

“The existence of a tobacco retail outlet within walking distance from home was associated with difficulty in succeeding in a quit attempt….”

Chaiton, M. O., Mecredy, G., & Cohen, J. (2018). Tobacco retail availability and risk of relapse among smokers who make a quit attempt: a population-based cohort study. Tobacco control, 27(2), 163–169.

“Strong local [tobacco retail licensing] ordinance may lower rates of cigarette and e-cigarette use among youth and young adults.”

Astor, R. L., Urman, R., Barrington-Trimis, J. L., Berhane, K., Steinberg, J., Cousineau, M., Leventhal, A. M., Unger, J. B., Cruz, T., Pentz, M. A., Samet, J. M., & McConnell, R. (2019). Tobacco Retail Licensing and Youth Product Use. Pediatrics, 143(2), e20173536.

Which brings us to the next challenge/opportunity…